"Most computer users don't want an inflexible little Internet
machine that runs only a Web browser, especially not for three or
four hundred dollars or more. Something like that should come free
in a box of cereal. Most want all the functionality of a full-sized
notebook, only smaller, lighter, and with significantly longer
battery life. A little less power is OK, and these days let's get
real-- what we consider low-power is the supercomputer of a few
years ago.
"It's too bad that ASUS, who launched the modern netbook craze,
couldn't resist the siren call of Microsoft and threw Linux away.
But it's their loss, as thankfully other vendors are releasing
small Linux notebooks and netbooks, whatever you want to call them,
and are actually showing some competence with Linux. Like making
sure that all the hardware is supported, and that everything works.
I don't know why so many vendors make such an uphill struggle out
of OEM Linux, it's magnitudes easier than any other OS."